There Will Be Blood
by PrincessLonesome
Summary: Edward Masen, a three hundred year old human drinking vampire finds a dying human girl who helps him with his suicidal tendencies. Follow Edward and Bella on their road to redemption. AU B/E M for slightly dark themes no lemons.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Twilight...**

**A/N: This is my new story _There Will Be Blood _(obviously). For those of you who read my other fic, this will be different.**

** I got the idea because it always bothered me how some people think 'traditional' vampires are inherently evil. I disagree; in my opinion they just follow their instincts and do what they are supposed to do. So if you can't handle Edward and Bella killing a few people now and then, you should walk away. The story is rated M for some dark themes and a few choice words but nothing hard core.**

**Udates will be weekly and I would very much like to know what you think.**

**Thank you to my betareader _bookwormgrl101_ for helping out.**

**Enjoy.**

**J.**

* * *

Chapter 1. A boy and a girl.

They looked like any young couple in love. The girl, no older than fifteen sat with her back to his chest. The boy, slightly older, yet still youthfull, had his legs spread and arms wrapped around her. They both wore matching expressions of bliss. Nothing about them would strike the passers by as unusual.

As an old man walked by their spot in the grass, the girl stffened. The boy, used to this reaction, tightened his grip on her and whispered quiet words of encouragement.

"Hold your breath, sweetheart."

He knew she was stuggling and it broke his heart. She was so young. Mere months into this new life. The boy was older and more controlled. He barely noticed the burn in the back of his throat anymore. Centuries of practice had reduced it to a pleasant tickle.

But the girl's throat burned fiercely and her body ached to spring and launch herself at the unsuspecting old man. She fought to find the will not to move. She knew it would hurt the boy if she harmed the old man. In the end, her love for the boy won from the ever present blood lust.

"Good girl." He whispered. "See, you can do this." He kissed her temple. She sighed in relief as the wind carried the man's scent away from them.

She turned in his arms and looked into his deep burgundy eyes. "When can we eat?" Her voice was low and soothing. Even when she was human, the sound had relaxed him.

"Soon, my love. I'm proud of you, you did wonderful today." He kissed her full red lips.

They soon got up and left their comfortable spot in the shadow. The park was nearly void of humans; which is why they were there in the first place. The boy knew it would be easier for her to face small amounts of humans at first. The old man had come closer to them than he had expected, not having seen the two predators in the shade.

They walked hand in hand at a leisurely human pace. They liked walking together; it brought them a sense of normality, made them feel slightly less inhuman than they were.

As they walked towards their hunting grounds, the boy thought of how he came to be here.

-

_Edward Masen was born on the twentieth of June in the year 1705. His parents were simple, hardworking people who wanted the best for their only son. They educated him and raised him to be a well mannered gentleman. Edward was not all that happy though. Contrary to his parents, Edward was not a simple boy. He was analytical, self conscious, and slightly suicidal at times. He was a perfectionist who longed to make a difference. He wanted to do something; not just go through the motions. This is why in the year of 1722, just after his seventeenth birthday, Edward Masen had run away from home in search of something more than his life in Chicago had to offer._

_But young Edward Masen didn't get very far. He barely made it out of the city before he was accosted by a woman. Edward noted that she was attractive. The strange, pale woman asked him if he was lost._

_"No, just traveling, Ma'am" Came his reply._

_Having been raised conservatively, Edward was shocked when the woman pushed him up against a wall with surprising strength. He attempted to push her back, he was not used to such forward behavior. But the woman was relentless and pressed her body into his._

_"You are a special one." She had purred. "Tell me your name."_

_"E-Edward Masen, Ma'am." Her alarmingly close body was making him flustered. He was only a man after all._

_The woman smiled, showing her abnormally white teeth. Edward shivered and once again attempted to remove the woman from his person. Not even noticing his struggles, the woman exposed his neck and cut through his pale, thin skin._

_Edward Masen was never heard from again._

_-_

"Edward?" His angel's voice brought him back to the present. "Where did you go?"

"Just thinking, love." He murmured. "Come, you must feed." He pulled her towards the more dark parts of town and the girl eagerly followed.

The couple had an unusual way of hunting. Unlike most of their kind, they did not pick humans at random or made their choices based on the scent of prey. No, they only hunted the evil; murderers, rapists, child abusers, drug dealers. Everywhere they went, the crime rate would miraculously decrease. But they did not think themselves heroes or gods. They knew that they were neither. They simply chose to feed from humans who would not be missed. For they could not bring themselves to kill the innocent.

-

_Three days after his encounter with the strange woman, Edward Masen woke from the fire. The woman introduced herself as Victoria and explained what he had become. Enraged by this woman's audacity, Edward had attacked her. She had experience on her side but Edward was a tall, strong young man, infuriated and determined to destroy this woman who took his life from him. She never stood a chance._

_Disgusted with his new nature, Edward found a way to placate his raging guilt. He would never kill those who would be missed. Never would he touch a child or a woman expecting. Instead, Edward decided to prey on the evil. With his new ability to know others' minds, this would be easy._

_Still, Edward refused to become a savage. As soon as he came to his senses, Edward resolved to learn to control his thirst. Just because he had to kill humans to survive didn't mean that he had to be reduced to an animal._

_His upbringing somehow lingered and Edward forced himself to retain as much of his humanity as possible._

_-_

"This is our lucky night, angel." Edward told the girl. He had just heard the minds of four college boys. They had herded, raped and killed a young girl. She was not their first. "South-East; just passed the bridge."

The girl sniffed the air excitedly. She quickly caught the scent of the boys. Saturated with alcohol and other things. "Four?"

Edward merely nodded and led her towards their meal.

The boys were just about to leave the scene when they noticed a small girl lurking in the shadows. At first they were exited, thinking that she could make a nice desert. But when she took a step forward, they noticed her vibrant red eyes and amused smirk.

The girl, consumed by the thirst she had been denying, pounced on the first thing that moved. The other humans had frozen in the shock of seeing such a small girl attack their friend. While she fed, her mate made sure the others couldn't escape. Rendering two of them unconscious, Edward fed from the other human. He relished in the feel and taste of the warm liquid. Truly Edward had not been thirsty, having fed only two nights prior. But the girl could not take in the blood from four grown human males and it would be ridiculous to waste it, even if their taste left something to be desired.

After they both fed from two humans, they disposed of their bodies as well as the body of the poor human girl that had been violated. Edward covered her modesty and his mate smiled at him. He gently picked up the dead girl and located her purse. He quickly ran to the nearest police station and left her front of the morgue with her purse by her side.

On his way back to the alley, he ran into his mate. "All taken care of." She said.

"Good. Let's go home."

-

_Isabella Swan was born in Phoenix, Arizona on September thirteenth 1995. Her mother Renee and father Charlie had married young and neither of them was ready to have a child. But said child had been conceived and was not magically going to disappear; no matter how much Renee wished it would._

_Little Isabella was a slightly odd child. She never made friends and didn't speak unless absolutely unavoidable. She preferred to be on her own. Isabella read and drew while other children played outside._

_When Isabella was eight, her mother overdosed on sleeping pills. Her father followed not long after._

_By the time she was twelve, Isabella had lived in three different group homes and had been kicked out of five foster families. Other than her trust and commitment issues, Isabella was a normal, healthy girl. She liked to read and draw and once you got to know her she was the most lovely person you ever met. But Isabella never let anyone close enough to see that. She kept everyone at arms length. That changed however, when she met a young man with white skin, copper hair and red eyes._

_-_

Edward and Isabella entered their temporary home. This was their first home since Isabella had become immortal, unfortunately they would have to move every few months. Their unusual appearance combined with the disappearance of humans would eventually attract attention.

Isabella headed for the closet and pulled out a set of clean clothes, but instead of putting them on she placed them on the edge of their bed.

Edward, knowing that human girl's scent on him would bother his mate, stripped and turned on the shower. Not caring about the temperature of the water, he got in and reached for the soap. Isabella beat him to it and stood naked before him while she washed his body. Edward relaxed and enjoyed as she payed special attention to particular body parts. She picked up the shampoo and told him to get on his knees. Edward grinned and dropped to the floor. Isabella liked washing his hair, unfortunately their height difference didn't allow that unless he knelled in front of her. She massaged his scalp and lightly dragged her short fingernails over his skin, making him purr in satisfaction. Isabella giggled as he placed a light kiss on her stomach. She rinsed his hair and got up again. After Edward returned the favor, they dried off and headed to bed.

-

_Wandering the Earth and killing human monsters quickly became boring. Edward thought he would lose his mind if he didn't find something useful to do soon. He was not entirely sure if his kind could go insane but he did not intend to find out._

_Roughly thirty years after his transformation, Edward discovered the beauty that was music. He tried several instruments and found that the piano appealed to him the most. He enjoyed playing and simply liked the sound. For decades, he immersed himself in his music. First playing the music of others, later, composing his own pieces. He wrote them down, not for fear of forgetting them but because he would have some tangible proof of the work he did. It made him feel less useless._

_But somehow he became depressed anyway. The repetitiveness of his life was suffocating and Edward was not sure if he wanted to continue living._

_What little he knew about his nature included the fact that he could not die. Determined, Edward sought a way to end his existence._

_-_

Dawn came and Edward sat at the beautiful black piano that moved with him no matter where he lived. He played a song he had written decades ago, it was somber and slightly depressing but still beautiful.

Edward looked over to the bed. Isabella lay naked on top of the covers, looking freshly ravaged; which, admittedly, she was. She smiled at him and asked him to play something less morbid for her. He grinned and began playing Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star with one hand.

"Funny, Edward."

"I'm a funny guy." He smiled.

It wasn't the first time they had spoken since going to bed, but they had better things to do than keeping conversation.

Edward got up from the bench and sprawled on the bed beside Isabella. He gathered her in his arms and couldn't keep the goofy grin off his face. She just made him so ridiculously happy.

As he held her, he looked around the sparsely furnished room. His eyes fell on yesterday's paper. They didn't really care about the news but they had to make sure no one was suspicious about the vanishing humans. He saw the date on the paper and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Isabella, always in tune with her mate, noticed his unhappy expression.

"We will have to move soon." His eighteenth century articulation sounded almost humorous combined with his sulking demeanor.

"I know, it's been nine weeks already." She sighed. Neither of them was happy with having to move but this was simply what they had to do to survive and live in peace.

Edward failed to end his life. He did everything he could think of. Consumed every poison he could get his hands on, threw himself from great heights, drowning; nothing worked. And since his skin was impenetrable, no weapon could end his life.

During the late eighteen hundreds Edward had decided to continue his education. Boredom and loneliness forced him to take some kind of action. School seemed like a good idea. Edward had been a fairly eager student and he knew that learning would be easier for him now so, why not?

He studied lots of subjects. Philosophy and literature being his favorites. It was difficult to attain a degree because it meant having to stay in one place for a reasonably long period of time, but he did it anyway. He wanted to have proof; to see that piece of paper and know that he had worked for it, that he deserved it.

The necessary human contact disgruntled him. He found it hard to converse with people and not answer their thoughts but focus on the spoken words. The fact that those two things were often different made things only more annoying.

"Where do you want to go?" Edward asked Isabella.

"I'm not sure."

"We could travel for a while." He said

"You mean not have a home?" The thought seemed oddly alluring to her.

"Yes. We could store our possessions somewhere and only take with us that what is absolutely necessary." He looked into her red eyes and saw the excitement there. "It will be something different. Though I am not sure how I feel about not changing clothes once in a while." He frowned and Isabella snorted.

"You don't sweat, Edward." She grinned at her silly mate.

"I'm aware, but still;" He was slightly embarrassed.

"Alright then;" She declared. "we'll be nomads for a while until we find a nice new home."

Edward merely nodded and proceeded the place kisses all over her exposed neck and chest. Isabella let out an unhappy sigh, causing his head to snap up in confusion. He was certain she liked this.

"What's wrong?"

"I wanted to go out tonight." She sighed.

"Where?"

"There is a concert a few miles away, it looked interesting." They both knew they would not be going to this concert. Being in an enclosed space filled with humans was simply too hard for Isabella. She was not yet controlled enough.

"Soon, sweetheart." Edward said.

"It sucks." He smiled at how _twenty-first century_ she sounded.

"I know, but it will get better; and you're doing great." It had taken him years to get her kind of control.

Isabella pouted and stayed quiet. It was times like these that reminded him of how young she was at the time of her transformation. Even disregarding the fact that she was frozen, she was still very young, and always would be. Some people would consider her a child. Yet in other times and cultures she could have been married with a couple of children by now. Age, as Edward had come to know, was very relative.

He had wondered though, if he should have changed Isabella at such a young age. She had not yet been fifteen. Her body nor her mind had fully grown. And yet he couldn't bring himself to regret doing it, even at times like these when she acted every bit like the angsty teenager she should be. He had had very little choice after all. His little angel was dying; and after becoming attached to her, he simply refused to let her go.

Part of him had felt strangely perverted, he was nearly three hundred years her senior after all. But, he had argued, he was only seventeen himself. In the end, his affection for her had driven any reluctance away.

-

_The year was 2009 and Edward Masen wandered the streets during a cloudy __afternoon. He was unsure as to where exactly he was but he couldn't bring himself to care._

_The ever present loneliness and boredom had reached an all time high. Edward had come to realize that his existence was entirely futile. Pointless. There was simply no reason for him to walk this Earth. He couldn't even remember the last time he had a conversation with anyone._

_He had never met any others of his kind, simply because he would always make a run for it when he heard inhuman thoughts. They rarely even knew he was there in the first place._

_Edward knew surprisingly little about this immortal world he was part of. Sure, he had done some research, but it was mostly myth. Stupid, ridiculous myths that humans came up with either to make them feel safer or to juice it all up for novels of films. It had all been rather useless._

_All that Edward did know about his kind was what he had learned himself: blood lust, speed, strength, red eyes, enhanced beauty, mind reading;_

_These were only a few of the changes that had occurred in him. Though he had come to the knowledge that the latter was not a part of the vampire canon. His ability to hear thoughts seemed to be wholly his. He was not sure if that was a good or bad thing._

_Either way, Edward was miserable._

_Around that same time, Isabella sat in a doctors office. Angela, her social worker sat next to her. They were anxiously awaiting Isabella's test results._

_The girl had been feeling ill for a while. But being her ever brave self, she had kept it quiet. She never mentioned the headaches, the fatigue, the dizzy spells or the fact that she couldn't seem to keep any food down. Until she had fainted in the common room of her group home. The staff had been unable to wake her so an ambulance had been called._

_Angela, having taken a special interest in the girl, had rushed to the hospital. She had been there when Isabella woke and forced her to tell the doctors every single one of her symptoms. With every word Isabella spoke, the doctor's frown deepened and Angela grew more and more anxious. They shared a look as Isabella told them she had been having trouble getting dressed in the morning. They were thinking the same thing. This is not good._

_The doctor had admitted Isabella and arranged for her to have a private room. She was hooked up to an IV and several other things she would rather not be in contact with._

_As she sat in the uncomfortable chair, wearing an even more uncomfortable hospital gown, Isabella became anxious. She did not like the way they were acting; as if she were about to die._

_The thought startled her. Was she about to die? Isabella forced herself to really think about all the things her body had been telling her lately. She realized now that she had been in denial and that there was something seriously wrong with her._

_The doctor sat in his leather chair on the other side of the desk and Angela took the girl's hand. As the doctor spoke, Isabella felt as though she had already knew. There was no surprise, no shock, no sadness; only acceptance._

_"I'm very sorry; there's nothing we can do." The doctor finished. And he truly was sorry._

_Angela wiped a tear and looked at Isabella who sat silently in her chair._

_"How long?" The girl asked._

_"Six weeks." Came the response._

_Isabella nodded. "Thank you." She squeezed Angela's hand and left the office, wheeling the annoying pole that held the bags of fluids and medication they had been pumping into her. She walked out of the hospital and into the chilly October air. She didn't notice the boy until she walked into him._

_-_

Edward and Isabella packed their things quickly. They didn't have as many belongings as most humans. They split their things up in two categories. Some clothes and personal belongings they would take with them as well as things they would need in the human world like ID's. The remaining things like his piano, furniture, books, music, and of course his precious car, would go into storage.

They were in Oregon at the moment and had decided that they would head South and just see where they'd end up.

Edward and Isabella both grabbed one bag and locked the storage container.

They had dressed comfortably, knowing it would be a while before they could clean up again. Edward wore jeans – which was very OOC for him – combined with a snug fitting navy blue t-shirt. There was no need for a jacket since they would be staying out of the public eye. Edward looked down at himself and frowned, causing Isabella to giggle. She wore a pair of jeans that looked like they were painted onto her long legs with a red v-neck t-shirt and black converse. Isabella knew that Edward did not like to dress in jeans and a t-shirt. He was more of a slacks-and-button-down man or even a suit if he could get away with it. But Isabella didn't care. Her man looked good in anything; and even better in nothing.

Isabella slung the strap of her messenger bag over her shoulder and Edward did the same with the larger duffel bag. The bags were so light, they would not bother them at all while running.

They walked slowly to the nearest trees and flashed each other a grin before speeding off hand in hand.

-

_"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Isabella exclaimed as she ran into someone. She noted that the someone must work out._

_Edward looked down at the girl and smiled involuntary, his dark mood completely forgotten. "I apologize Miss;" He was very formal. "Are you alright?" He looked into her deep brown eyes and saw them widen. He realize a moment too late that his eyes were dark red and that the average human did not respond well to this. He averted his eyes as she openly stared at him._

_Isabella had never seen such a beautiful boy before. He was very tall and had a nice build. His hair was a very bright, shiny copper; it was sort of messy but in a good way. He was extremely pale, though she could not be very judgmental in that area considering her own complexion. His facial features were those of an angel. She never expected to see such a face, apart from in Heaven perhaps. But it was his eyes that caught her attention. Not because of their dark red color, but because they held so much pain and sadness._

_Isabella wanted to help the beautiful boy; to take his pain away and make him happy. She vowed that she would spend her last days on Earth taking his sorrow away._

_Edward noticed the girl's ogling and used the distraction to look more closely at her. She was tiny; the top of her head just barely reached his shoulder. She was pale and had soft, delicate features; high wide cheekbones, a small nose and full lips. He noticed the shadows under her brown eyes. He looked at her attire now and knew that she was a patient in the hospital they stood in front of. She did not look healthy._

_Just as Edward was about to ask her again if she was okay, Isabella started swaying on her legs. Edward caught her just before she hit the ground. Both were startled by the contact. Edward because he had not touched any human without feeding for centuries and Bella because the boy's cold body felt somehow comforting._

_He place her on a bench near the hospital entrance. He noticed the various medications she was receiving and felt uncharacteristically worried for this little girl._

_She had not taken her eyes off him once and it unnerved him. The thought almost made him laugh. The vampire was scared of the dying little human._

_He asked her if he should take her inside but she declined._

_"There is noting they can do for me in there." Edward was surprised by how pleasant her voice sounded and only now realized that this strange little creature didn't have thoughts. Well, not ones that he could hear._

_Edward didn't speak. He was unable to think of something to say, yet he did not want to leave. He felt strangely comfortable in her presence._

_Isabella shivered and Edward realized that she must be cold. He looked at her thin gown and wondered if humans needed more protection than that. A deep ingrained instinct to protect females had him shrugging out of his unnecessary jacket and carefully placing around her frail shoulders._

_Isabella was glad the boy had sat beside her. She liked looking at him and just enjoyed his company, even if he didn't speak. She looked deeply into his eyes and blurted out the first thing that came to mind._

_"You're sad."_

_Edward looked at her, baffled. He realized she was right._

_"Yes." His voice was low and deep._

_"Why aren't you with your family?" Surely such a nice boy would have people who loved him._

_"I don't have a family." He had no idea why he was telling this girl his sob story._

_"Me either."_

_Edward looked up and saw the empty look on the girl's face._

_"Where are they?" He asked softly._

_"Dead." Her voice was bleak._

_"Mine as well." He saw the labels on the IV and knew that she was very ill. Yet he did not pity the girl. He only felt a strange kinship. They were both broken and alone. For the first time in a long time, Edward found himself wanting something. He wanted her. He wanted to protect this odd little girl and make sure she was happy. In return he wanted her to make him happy._

_"You are going to die." He whispered._

_"Yes; soon."_

_Unthinkingly, he spoke. "Do you want to come with me?"_

_"Where?"_

_He shrugged. "Anywhere you want to go."_

_Edward got up and held out his hand for her. She stared at for a few seconds and took it._


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own Twilight.**

**Thanks to Bookwormgrl101 for betareading this chapter.**

**Enjoy...**

**J.**

* * *

Chapter 2. New Beginnings.

-

_Edward could hardly believe what he was doing. Not long ago he was wishing for his existence to end and now he was helping this girl in his car._

_She had pulled out her IV and left the pole standing in the middle of the street. She was barefoot but didn't care. She was still staring at Edward as he closed the passenger side door of his car and walked around to his side. Isabella had no idea where he was taking her, nor did she care. She had nothing to lose and she trusted the boy._

_He drove them to a hotel since he left his previous residence months ago. He grabbed a bag from the backseat and helped Isabella get out. He noticed that her legs didn't seem to be able to hold her. He carefully picked her up in his arms and carried her into the hotel lobby. He booked them a room and carried her the whole way._

_Edward deposited the girl on the only bed in the room. He handed her some of his clothes and let get cleaned up while he went to find food for her._

_Edward was pretty clueless when it came to human food so he picked up random things and hoped it would suffice._

_Isabella hastily took a shower and dressed in the oversized pants and shirt he gave her. She thought about how foolish she would seem to anyone with half a brain. Getting in a car with a virtual stranger was, by any definition, insane. Yet she felt like she had just made the best decision of her life. Something about him made her think that he would be good for her. And she hoped that she could make his life better as well._

_Edward returned with a sandwich, an apple and a bottle of water. She thanked him and slowly started eating. Edward watched her curiously as she bit the apple and chewed. How odd these humans were. They ate dead things; that couldn't possibly be appetizing._

_"Aren't you hungry?" Isabella asked him._

_"No." And truly he wasn't. He had last fed over a week ago but he did not feel the urge to drink from her._

_"Oh. So what's your name?" Was it strange that she had not yet bothered to ask him?_

_"Edward Masen." He said. "And you are?"_

_"Isabella Swan." The girl said. "Where do you live?"_

_"Nowhere."_

_"Me either."_

_"How so?" He knew that humans were not nomadic. They had homes._

_"I told you; my family died. I have no one." She didn't seem sad. It was just the truth._

_Edward felt the strange urge to be closer to her so he sat on the bed beside her. "We'll look for clothes for you later." He told the girl._

_She nodded absently and laid back on the bed with her eyes closed. Edward scooted closer to her so he could see her face. "Are you alright?" He really had no idea what to do with her. She was obviously ill and he did not know how to make her feel better._

_"Just tired." She muttered. "I'll sleep for a bit." Her speech was slurred and she fell asleep soon._

Two days after their departure in Oregon,Edward and Isabella reached New Mexico. Unfortunately, the sun and heat kept them from feeding during the day. Isabella was growing restless and Edward knew she would have to eat something soon. Unlike Edward who could easily go ten days without feeding, Isabella needed blood every other day. She was still so young and her thirst was far worse than his. Edward felt bad for her, wishing he could take away some of her pain. He knew what she was going through.

He took courage in the fact that she was getting better every week and that she was not alone, unlike he had been.

Edward's newborn period was short but fierce. After the initial blood crazed frenzy wore off, Edward still found it difficult to be around humans.

He could clearly remember the day that he found blood no longer made his throat burn. He had been unexpectedly exposed to human blood. But somehow it only smelled pleasant and made his mouth water, there was no pain.

Though Edward refused to kill innocents, he still felt somewhat guilty about all the lives he had taken. Sure, he needed blood to survive but he couldn't quite keep the remorse at bay.

-

Edward and Isabella waited for the sun to set and walked out into the streets. There were many humans out and about, causing Isabella great discomfort. Edward held her tightly as they weaved through the crowds at a slightly too fast pace. Anyone who looked too closely at them would notice that there was something not quite right about the way they moved.

Edward let them to the more deserted parts of town and let his mind wander, looking for food. Isabella groaned at his side. She was seriously considering just picking one at random but the thought of how disappointed Edward would be made her rethink that course of action. He had done so much for her and she loved him deeply, she would not let him down. Isabella would not have chosen to hunt this way if it weren't for Edward. She would not have thought twice about the humans lives that were lost. But he made her see that they were people, not cattle. The humans would be missed; they had a family, job, a life.

As soon as Edward gave her directions, Isabella ran towards her target. It was an elderly man. He had committed various crimes ranging from fraud to theft.

Edward watched as she lunged at the man from behind. He didn't get a chance to realize what was happening before she snapped his neck. Isabella bared her razor sharp pearly whites and cut through his skin, piercing his jugular. She groaned as the blood flowed into her mind. With his heart no longer beating and the blood cooling rapidly, she had to suck it all out as quickly as possible before the blood became stale. There was nothing more disgusting than cold blood.

Isabella basked in the high and dropped the lifeless body. She licked her lips, cleaning her mouth of the last drops of blood.

Edward walked up to her and kissed her passionately. Seeing one's mate feed always fueled the desire. Unwilling to leave the corpse in plain sight, Edward pulled away and disposed of the body. It was ridiculously easy to cover up their activities. Millions of people went missing and Edward used his superior strength to mangle the bodies beyond recognition so that even if they were found, no identification was possible.

Edward heard someone coming and they quickly hopped onto the nearest rooftop. They jumped from building to building, running towards the woods again.

_"Vampire?" Isabella could hardly believe what he was telling her. Sure, he had seemed strange and unusual, but a vampire?_

_"Yes; have been for nearly three hundred years." Edward continued._

_"Oh; do you drink blood?"_

_"Yes; does that bother you?" Edward had not hesitated to tell her the truth when she asked him why he never ate or slept during the three days that they had been together. He was worried now though, that she would be afraid of him and run._

_Isabella took in what he had just told her. Did it bother her that he drank blood? Thinking about the last three days and how wonderful had been to her, the answer was no. If she was truthful, she wouldn't care if he was the devil incarnate._

_"No." She said. "It doesn't bother me." She shuffled closer to where he sat on the bed and rested her head on his cold shoulder._

_"You should sleep." Edward barely contained his joy at hearing that she didn't despise him, or feared him._

The young couple made love in the rain, enjoying the feel of each other and the water on their skin.


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own Twilight...**

**A/N: Thanks to _bookwormgrl101_ for beta'ing this chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 3. Strange New Feelings.

-

_Edward watched Isabella sleep. He worried about her. She was getting weaker and would sleep more often. Having never cared for anyone before, worrying was a strange thing to Edward. He wanted her to be safe and happy but he had no clue as to how he would accomplish those things. She seemed to like spending time with him and talking to him and Edward took courage in the fact that he made her smile from time to time._

_It had been a week since they found each other and they had grown quite fond of each other._

_Edward would read to her and tell her stories while she rested her tired head on a pillow in his lap. She found his velvet voice soothing and slept easier knowing he was there. He enjoyed watching her human reactions and found her overall entertaining and interesting. He listened as she spoke of her difficult childhood and her upcoming demise. He felt a strange kind of desperation when he thought of fragile state. He didn't know it yet, but surely, Edward was falling for the girl._

_Isabella had felt the need to tell him everything. For the first time she found someone who willingly listened to her; not because he had to but because he wanted to. She thought he deserved the truth so she didn't leave out any of the sordid details. Edward didn't seem to pity her or feel disgusted by her; as many had before. She found him to be genuine and kind. His darker side did not repel her but only served to intrigue her. She knew he was dangerous but couldn't find it within herself to fear him._

_When she told him she had only weeks to live, they both looked away. Neither had the courage to bring up what was on their minds._

_-_

"Do you have any idea where we are?" Isabella asked Edward. They were lying on the roof of a tall building in some large city but she didn't know which one.

Edward looked around and studied the architecture around him. He had not taken notice of his surroundings for a while, simply not caring where they were. "Looks like New York City." He did nothing to hide how unimpressed he was.

"You don't like New York?"

"Not particularly" Edward never did like crowds. "There are so many people" He sounded almost wistful "I'm lucky they're asleep or their thoughts would drive me insane."

"We'll go before they wake." Isabella promised him as she leaned up to kiss his jaw.

Edward turned to look at his mate and smiled at her face. She truly was beautiful. Her pale face resembled that of a porcelain doll. Her large red eyes were strangely innocent and though he knew she could take care of herself, Edward felt the need to protect her.

"We should feed before we leave though, there are plenty of murderers in the Big Apple" Edward suggested after a long and comfortable silence.

Always in the mood to hunt, Isabella jumped up and pulled a laughing Edward with her.

-

_"Why were you always alone?" Isabella had been asking Edward various questions all night. She wanted to understand him better and get to know every part of him. But secretly, she just like hearing him was wrapped in a blanket laid with her back to his chest while he held her and stroked her hair._

_"I've always been a bit of a recluse." Edward responded. He enjoyed their closeness immensely and reveled in it._

_He knew the true answer to her question was not the one he gave her. He had been alone for centuries because he had not yet found Isabella._

_Edward came to this conclusion during their tenth night together as Isabella slept peacefully in his arms. He had looked upon her slight form and listened as she spoke his name in slumber. The feelings that were stirred in him were entirely new and scared him somewhat. He felt deeply for her but did not see how she could ever reciprocate these feelings. He was after all a monster._

_"But weren't you lonely?" Isabella asked him. Without realizing it, she had come to care a great deal for her new friend. The knowledge that he had never had anyone made her sad and her heart ached for him._

_She saw the boy inside him instead of the monster on the surface. And she liked that boy; a lot._

_"Yes; I suppose I was lonely. But what's a monster to do?" He joked._

_Isabella ignored his jibe and continued. "Everybody needs someone." She whispered. "Even you."_

_She wiggled herself out of the blanket and turned in his arms. Edward looked into her big brown eyes and was shocked to see them filled with tears. His dead heart constricted painfully at the sight of her anguish._

_"Please don't cry." His voice was rough and full of emotion as he wiped a tear. "Don't waste any tears on me."_

_Isabella could not hold back the sob as she realized that he did not deem himself worthy of her affections. She could not bear to see such a beautiful boy in so much pain._

_Edward, overcome with need to make her feel better, crushed her to his chest and begged her not to cry. This only seemed to fuel her tears so he just shut up and held her while she sobbed into his chest._


	4. Author's Note

**A/N: Sorry for making you think this is a new chapter when it is not but I have some things to tell you.**

**First of all; Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read and review this story, it means a lot to me.**

**I have been getting some reviews and PM's asking when I will update and why it takes me so long sometimes. As some of you know, I am very ill at the moment and it can interfere with my writing. So I'm asking you to be patient and bear with me for a while. I have no intention of abandoning my stories. I will finish them so don't worry. **

**I will not make a habit of these AN's, if I have something to say I will post a note on my profile.**

**Thank you.**

**J.**


	5. Chapter 4

**I don't own Twilight...**

**A/N: I am sorry for the long wait but life has been hard on me lately. **

**As usual, thanks to my beta _bookwormgrl101_ for her help.**

* * *

Chapter 4. Shirts and surprises.

* * *

Our couple was enjoying some private time in their motel room. After the loud and busy city that was New York, Edward needed some peace and quiet. The motel on the outskirts of some dingy town they did not know the name of, was not what one would call luxurious. Luckily for them, personal hygiene was not an issue.

Isabella sighed as she collapsed on the medium sized bed. Edward grimaced at some of the suspicious stains on the sheets but kept his thoughts to himself. He pulled his mate into his arms once again marveled at how well they fit together. Isabella smiled and reached up to kiss his soft lips. She moved to straddle him and pinned his hands against the headboard.

Edward was pleasantly surprised to see this new side of her. Usually he was the more dominant one and he liked it that way. But he was very curious to see where she was going with this so he relaxed and simply enjoyed her attention.

Isabella stripped him of his shirt, caressing his muscles and enjoying the firmness of his body as well as the sounds her touches envoked from him. By the time she had reached his pants, her patience had run out, so she simply ripped the fabric from his legs and vowed to make sure he wore less complicated shirts in the future.

* * *

Miles and miles away from the happy couple, Carlisle Cullen reclined in his generic office chair. He took in the bland interior that just seemed to scream 'hospital' and longed for his home. Or more accurately, his wife.

Ah, Esme; how he loved her dearly. She truly was the light of his life. While he enjoyed his job and loved his family, none of it could compare to the joy and laughter sweet Esme brought him.

Thoroughly distracted by rather indecent thoughts, Carlisle did not hear his youngest daughter walks the hospital halls and approach his office.

"Knock, knock." Alice had barely uttered the words before she entered and took as seat in one of the uncomfortable folding chairs.

"What can I do for you, Alice?" Carlisle suspected she had had one of her strange visions, as was usually the reason for unannounced visits from the tiny vampire.

"I saw something." She confirmed his thoughts.

"Nothing bad, I hope."

Alice frowned and shifted uneasily. "I'm not sure." She sounded put out. "I saw a man. One of us."

"Yes..." Carlisle was not used to her being this hesitant or vague and it worried him.

Alice huffed and spoke the next few sentences at a dizzying ratte. "He's all blurry! It's like he's there one moment and the next... poof! He's gone! Completely gone, Carlisle! I don't understand how that's possible. I think he might be coming our way but can't be sure. Jasper thinks I'm overreacting and we should just wait and see. But I know he's important! I just know it!"

Carlisle blinked slowly. "Do you know where he is now?"

Alice shook her head. "I saw some flashes of a shady motel and some tall buildings but that's it." She slumped in her seat. "I mostly just saw his face."

Carlisle stood and walked towards Alice. "I don't think there is reason for concern." Alice opened her mouth to speak but he held up a hand. "Does he feed from humans?"Alice nodded begrudgingly. "I think you should keep looking to make sure if he is coming here. If he is we can meet him." Carlisle paused. "But I don't think it's wise to track him simply because of some hunch."

"That's what Esme said." Alice mumbled, looking for all the world like someone just kicked her puppy.

"If it is meant to be , it will be." Carlisle hugged his daughter and together they made their way home to their family.


	6. Chapter 5

**I don't own Twilight...**

**A/N: Here's another chapter for you. **

**Thanks to _bookwormgrl101_ for beta'ing.**

* * *

Chapter 5. Anxiously awaiting the future.

.

_Edward watched the girl sleep. It was all she seemed to do these days. She barely ate and could no longer stand on her feet without his help._

_He had cared for his little friend for weeks now; ignoring her protests as he fed her and helped her in the bathroom. Her pale face would get bright red and her eyes would be fixed to the floor. Edward did not let it show, but secretly, he loved being with her like this. He loved that she needed him and felt honored to be caring for her._

_Isabella stirred and Edward sighed once more. She was very pretty, even all pale and skinny. Edward could not remember the last time he had found a girl attractive._

_As a human, Edward had looked at girls in a most gentlemanly way. His father had taught him that females were to be protected and respected. Mostly he found them to be tedious and, for lack of a better word, stuck up. As he had gotten older, Edward began noticing girls in a different way. Be he had never truly found them attractive._

_But he found Isabella attractive. Very much so. And he did not know what to do with this. Surely she could not return his affections._

_And of course there was the complication of her faltering health. If nothing was done, Isabella would die; soon._

_Could he go back to the way things were before? Forget about her and keep going as if he had never met her?_

_No; he could not do that. The pain in his chest attested to this fact._

_But what was the other option? Changing her?_

_Could he do it? Would he want to? Would she?_

_Edward growled and pushed himself off the bed. He began pacing the room as he sought for a way to make the future bearable_.

.

.

Edward ran as fast as he could, refusing to let his prey get away. He jumped over fallen logs and ducked out of the way of branches and shrubbery. A shiver ran through his body as he thought of all the ways he could entertain himself with his delicious prey. He would devour the little thing, not letting go for hours. A growl ripped through his chest.

Isabella, in the mean time was laughing as she ran. It was so much fun to get him riled up like this. She enjoyed the thrill of being chased and then of course, caught. As she knew there was no way she could out run him. She was already envisioning what he would do to her when he got his hands on her. Another giggle escaped.

Edward felt a slow smirk appear at the sound of her laughter. The sound spurred him on and gave him her location. He got up high in some trees following his prey silently.

Isabella frowned and slowed down. She could no longer hear his speeding footsteps or his growling. She took in a deep breath and knew he was close. Her eyes darted around but there was no sight of him.

"Edward?"

He smiled when he saw her bemused expression from his perch up in the tree. Deciding to end her suffering, he launched himself at her while laughing loudly.

Isabella shrieked and struggled against his hold until recognition came.

Edward laughed freely as she punched his chest and any other part of him she could reach.

"You bastard!" She yelled. "You scared me half to death!"

"You're already dead, sweetheart." He laughed while capturing her wrists.

Isabella childishly stuck out her tongue. "You're so mean."

"I apologize, My Love." Edward said with overdone remorse. "Will you ever forgive me?" He was unable to contain his grin and Isabella's anger melted at the sight of him. It was so rare to see him in such a good mood.

"I suppose." She muttered. "But you have to make it up to me." She smiled innocently.

"And how do you propose I do that?" He asked while raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, I'm sure you can think of something."

.

.

Jasper sighed. His wife, whom he loved tremendously, was driving him absolutely crazy. It was days like these that he cursed his ability to sense others' emotions.

Ever since she had the vision about the strange vampire, Alice had been obsessed with him. She was determined to find him and figure out why he obscured her visions. It was all she talked about. Not the mention all the tension and curiosity that rolled off of her in waves. Frankly, Jasper was sick of it.

"Alice, honey, you're killin' me here." He moaned one night while she was fully immersed in yet another vision starring the copper haired vampire.

Alice snapped back to the present and looked sheepishly at her husband. "Sorry, Jazz. He was... feeding." She trailed off awkwardly.

"Oh." A tense silence followed as Jasper remembered what it was like to feed from humans. He quickly shook his head as if that would repel the memory and looked at Alice. "Why do you keep looking? If he comes here, we'll find him; if not, who cares?" He shrugged.

Alice's eyes flashed with annoyance. "I care, Jasper! He's important, I've told you this before!"

"Yes, but you don't know why he is and when – or if – we'll find him." He said patiently. "Do you really want to spend the next – God knows how long, looking for someone we might never find?"

Alice sighed and had to admit defeat. But she was just so exited at the thought of another friend. "I guess." She pouted. "But I will find him."


	7. Chapter 6

**I don't own Twilight...**

**A/N: Thank you for reviewing etc.**

**As usual, thanks to my beta _bookwormgrl101_. Go check out her profile!**

* * *

Chapter 6. Promises.

Isabella eyed the full figured woman longingly. What she wouldn't give to have a taste of her warm sweet blood. She could almost taste it on her tongue. But Isabella knew that it was not possible. She had never fed from an innocent; no matter how badly she wanted to. Edward saw to that. He didn't know how badly she wanted to forgo his rules. But in the end it didn't matter because she would never willingly go against him. Her goal was to make Edward happy and if that meant eating disgusting murderers then she would do it.

.

.

"_Edward?" He heard her speak his name._

"_Yes, my sweet."_

"_How long has it been?" _

_He knew where she was going with this and he didn't like it one bit. With a heavy sigh he responded. "It's been a little over a month."_

"_What will you do when I'm... gone?" Edward was startled by her direct approach and needed a moment to compose himself._

"_I don't know." He finally said. He toyed with the fabric of her sheets, unable to look at her for fear she would see the perverse longing in his eyes. For days now he had been contemplating the idea of changing her, and the more he thought about it the more he wanted it. For some reason he couldn't explain, Edward was unable to let go of her._

_Isabella looked at his weary face and fought tears. The thought of leaving her friend all alone in this world hurt more than anything her sick body had felt before. She wanted to live... for him. To make him happy and to cure him of his loneliness._

_Edward broke the silence. "Are you scared?"_

_Isabella told him the truth. "I'm not afraid to die. But I am afraid of not being with you."_

_He looked up at her in surprise. "I-I don't want to be without you either." He moved up the bed and laid down beside her. He decided to 'cut the crap' and tell her what he wanted. "You don't have to die. You... you could become like me." He whispered, hope coloring his tone._

_Isabella looked into his ruby eyes and found a deep longing there. Remembering her promise to make him happy, she answered. "Yes."_

.

.

Rosalie Hale sat rigidly in the pale loveseat. Her long sharp nails flipped the pages of her car magazine. She pretended to ignore her family as they spoke about Alice's latest vision. Rose mentally snorted. Who cared about some red eyed nomad? She had no idea why Alice was so fixated. If it weren't for Jasper she would have thought her little sister was in love with this guy. Of course even Rosalie couldn't deny that Alice loved her husband more than anything.

She sighed dramatically, trying to gain Emmett's attention. When she noticed his eyes on her Rosalie trailed one long nailed finger down her throat tracing her impressive cleavage. She watched with satisfaction as her husband's eyes widened. Alice called him to attention and Rosalie went back to her magazine with a huff.

It was no secret that Rosalie loved attention. She accentuated her lovely figure by wearing form fitting and very revealing clothes. It would look cheap on the average human but the supernaturally beautiful woman pulled it off. She was used to people – men especially – staring at her, admiring her. She took pride in being the most beautiful woman in the world and expected everyone to pay her attention.

So it came to no one's that Rosalie was put off by all the commotion over Alice's mystery vampire. As a rule, Rosalie hated everyone that stole her limelight. This vampire did just that. And as if that wasn't enough reason to be pissed it off, he fed from humans. In Rosalie's opinion, human drinking vampires were nothing but savages; filthy predators who had sense of class or control. She had never tasted human blood herself and was very proud of that fact. She was determined to be the best vegetarian she could possibly be. Not because she liked humans in any way but because she was too proud to lose control and let the predator inside her come to life.

It was because of all these things that Rosalie Hale hated the strange vampire and vowed to make his life a living hell.

.

.

In a long forgotten cave, our young lovers lay entwined and laughing softly, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Edward looked at his mate's giggling form and grinned widely. He couldn't remember ever being this happy.

As her giggles subsided, Edward looked intently at Isabella. For some reason he found himself remembering her human face and comparing it to her face now. She was paler but not much, her cheekbones were more prominent and her lips fuller. His eyes wandered lower, to the rest of her body. Her limbs were toned, her breasts firmer – though he had not seen them before her change – and her hips rounder. 'A body made for birthing children' he thought sadly. He imagined a small human girl with big chocolate eyes and brown curls. He smiled involuntary. For the first time he wished she was still human. Slowly the child's curls went from brown to copper, her plump lips a perfect replica of Edward's. He quickly shook the thought from his head. That was not possible.

"What's wrong?" Isabella had noticed his desolate expression and worried.

"Do you ever wish you were still human?" He whispered. Edward was never one to beat around the bush and he would start now.

Isabella blinked. Human? Why would she want to be human? Her human life had not been very pleasant. "No not really. Do you?"

"I never did before." He muttered.

"Before what?"

"Before meeting you – you make me want to give you things I can't." He sounded so sad and it broke her heart.

"I don't think I know what you mean." She confessed.

Edward suddenly sat up and looked in the opposite direction when he spoke. "Did you ever consider having children?"

His question caught her off guard. "No" She said. "But I guess it has to do with my age more than anything. I just never got to that stage in life." She wrapped her arms around him from behind. "What brought this on?" She wondered.

"I just couldn't help but imagine what things would have been like had you been human."

"I would be dead." Was her blunt reply. "I don't want you to torture yourself over things that you have have no control over. I was sick and you saved me. That is the reality. I will never have children but I hadn't even thought about that before you brought it up." She forced him to meet her eyes and gave him a stern look. "I love you and I would not trade this life with you for anything in the world. So stop it."

Edward felt a slow smile creep up his face. She truly was extraordinary.


	8. Chapter 7

For as long as he could remember, Edward had been good at reading situations, people and events. For some reason he knew. Call it intuition or a sixth sense, Edward didn't care. He would feel a small tingle; just the barest hint of apprehension or tension. Right now, Edward felt a nagging sensation in the back of his over-developed brain. Something was about to happen.

Isabella looked at her mate and wondered what was bothering him. They were in a pretty secluded area so it could not be the voices in his head. He had hunted less than ten hours ago so he could not be thirsty. She felt a moment of unease.

"What is it?" Her soft lilting voice made Edward's head snap in her direction.

"I am not sure." He paused, unsure how to explain. "I think someone is near."

Isabella knew which category this "someone" fell under and tensed. "Should we go?" She watched as Edward's eyes roamed the forest around them. His brow puckered and mouth set in a firm line.

"I don't think there is any danger." His voice was cautious. "But we should be careful none the less." He launched himself into a nearby tree and motioned for Isabella to follow him. She did so without hesitation.

Edward tucked her firmly to his side. He forced his power out and as far away as possible, trying to pick up any thoughts. After several minutes of tense silence something reached Edward's mind.

The thoughts were fast, unfocussed and instinctive. The vampire was hunting. Edward saw the trees flash before the strangers eyes, and located him. He was getting close. Once gain Edward considered leaving the area but something told him to stay. The vampire's thoughts seemed oddly kind and cheerful and it puzzled Edward.

Isabella did not like the situation they had found themselves in, but she trusted her companion and waited with baited breath. Isabella tensed when Edward did. She instinctively crouched and had to bite back the snarl that threatened. Edward placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay. He's hunting..." Edward paused and the most adorable look of confusion passed his face; she almost smiled. "Animals?" She blinked. Once. Twice. A third time. Her advanced vampire brain had a hard time comprehending.

"He's eating _animals_?" Edward nodded. A mixture of confusion and hope in his eyes. "He's _eating_ animals?"

"Drinking their blood, yes." Edward smiled slightly and indicated they should leave their perch. Isabella hesitated only slightly before throwing herself fifty feet down out the tree. She stood next to a relaxed looking Edward when she heard footfall. They were heavy and somewhat sluggish. She tensed once again when she smelled him; a rich woodsy smell with a hint of leather. Definitely male. Edward calmed her with whispered reassurances and relaxed further as the vampire got closer.

Two minutes after Edward had first noticed him, the vampire emerged. Isabella was shocked by the sheer size of him, he must have been at least six and a half foot in height and looked like he weighed three hundred pounds. She noticed with shock that his biceps were bigger that her thighs.

In stark contrast with his size was his face which was framed with a mass of dark brown bouncy curls not unlike Isabella's. His face itself was round and almost childlike. He wore a big innocent looking smile that brought out two matching dimples in his pudgy cheeks. His eyes were big too and they too reminded Isabella of a child's.

An image from her human life came to mind. A young boy who played with matchbox cars. She did not know who the boy was but it was suddenly very difficult to be afraid of this big man-child.

Isabella smiled.


	9. Chapter 8

****

**I don't own Twilight.**

**A/N: Thank you to bookwormgrl101 for beta'ing. **

**Enjoy.**

**J.**

* * *

Chapter 8. Home.

Emmett was hiding. He would never admit it to any one, but he was. No one could blame him; Rosalie Hale was one frightening woman. Emmett had been on the receiving end of her rage for weeks now; ever since Alice started having the strange visions of the unknown vampire. Rose loved attention and hated it when something or someone stole her limelight. Finally, after being yelled at for the umpteenth time Emmett had reached his breaking point and left the house under the guise of an emergency hunting trip.

He sighed heavily and plopped down on the damp grass. (Alice would be pissed at him for ruining his pants.) Why, oh, why was the little seer seeing this vampire? He missed spending time with Rose that didn't involve her screeching and storming about the place. Resigned, Emmett got up and slowly made his way back home. He had to; she was his wife and despite her difficult personality, he loved her. He loved her, so he would endure her moods as he had done for the past several decades.

The wind picked up and blew a new scent his way, making him stop suddenly. _Vampire. _Emmett tensed on instinct, preparing to fight. He knew he should probably get out of there but Emmett was never one to avoid confrontation.

He walked through the thick underbrush and made his way to where he knew the stranger was. He took another whiff and more details of the scent registered. It was a weird combination of honey, cinnamon and lilacs. Emmett had never smelled anything like it before and it confused him. It was like two people melted into one.

Another few steps and Emmett stood face to face (with several yards separating them) with two vampires. One male and one female.

The male was tall, very tall with lean yet muscular build. His hair was the strangest color Emmett had ever seen, a mix of red brown and blond. If he had to name it, it would be copper but that didn't quite fit right. His face was pale as every vampire's was with sharp regal features that were timeless and appealing. Even Emmett had to admit that the man was very handsome; perhaps the most handsome man he had ever seen. As he thought this Emmett noticed the man smile. Weird.

His gaze shifted to the female. She was tiny compared to her companion, the top of her head just barely reached his shoulder. A head which was covered with chocolate curls. She reached up with one tiny hand brushed some hair out of her face revealing her features to Emmett. He smiled upon sight of her high cheekbones, button nose and plump lips. A lovely face indeed. Something about her reminded him of the human sister he left seventy years ago even though they looked nothing alike.

Emmett smiled widely, completely unperturbed by their blood red eyes and spoke in a friendly tone. "Hi, there.".

The man smiled in kind and responded in a smooth deep voice. "Hello; my name is Edward and this is Isabella." He gestured to the lady at his side.

"I'm Emmett."

"Pleased to meet you, Emmett." Edward seemed mature and composed, Emmett liked him immediately.

"Likewise; hey would you guys like to come and meet my family?" Emmett blurted.

"Family?" The girls voice was soft and shy, as if she was not used to speaking out loud.

He nodded vigorously. "Yup, there's six of us. I think you'd like them." Emmett started bouncing on the balls of his big feet in a very Alice-like way.

Edward and Isabella shared a look and Edward nodded. "We would love to, Emmett."

"Great!" Emmett turned his back on them and led the way to the big white house. He heard his new friends speak soflty to each other but didn't listen in. Esme always ribbed him for not being polite enough. Evesdropping was deffinitely not polite.

Somewhere in the back of his mind Emmett wondered if Rose would be very pissed and exactly how many nights he would be spending alone. He decided it did not look good. With a shrug he turned and showed them the house.

"Behold Casa Cullen."

* * *

_"I like this place." Isabella looked around the small house with big excited eyes. Her frail human body was mostly supported by Edward. He had offered to find them nicer lodgings than the hotel they had stayed at._

_The house was just big enough for the two of them and very remote. Edward would not tell her why but he said it was best to avoid other people and she trusted him._

_"Well, I didn't have a lot of time to find something new." He sounded almost embarrased which Isabella thought was ridiculous. The house was charming and homey. She had never felt more at peace._

_"It's perfect." She said as Edward set her carefully on the soft couch._

_"You should sleep; you've been awake for a long time." Edward was still peeved because she refused to sleep on the way to their new abode claiming to want to keep him company. She thought it would have been just rude to leave him to himself._

_"Okay." She sighed softly. Edward covered her with a blanket and sat on the floor near her head making sure her breath and heartbeat were steady._

_He knew what he had to do. There was no other way. She was dying; soon. And he would not could not allow that to happen. No way in hell._

_So he would do it. He would bite her and make her like him. A vampire. Immortal. Living stone. He rubbed his face harshly, wishing he could cry. Because he knew that once he crossed that threshole there was no going back._


	10. Chapter 9

**I don't own Twilight.**

**A/N: I know it has been far too long since the last update. If anyone is still following this, I apologize for the long wait but I can't promise regular updates. Just assume it will be a while.**

**Thank you for reviewing etc.**

**Enjoy.**

**J.**

* * *

Chapter 9. No way back.

.

_"Please; I'm so tired."_

_"I know." Edward responded with a weary sigh._

_It was time. He could no longer hold it off. He took in Isabella's frail body lying in the large bed and calculated she had perhaps a few more hours to live unless he changed her now._

_"It will work, won't it?" She asked softly._

_He nodded cautiously. "As long as your heart keeps beating. If it stops…"_

_"Why does it matter that my heart keeps beating?" She was slightly out of breath and he had to lean closer to hear her._

_"The venom has to spread, your heart will pump it through your body like it does blood." Edward shifted next to her and took her in his arms. She was frighteningly small. "Are you ready?" He was ashamed to hear his own voice tremble._

_"Yes." She breathed._

_Edward inhaled deeply through his nose, ignoring the sickly tone to her scent and focusing on how good it was underneath her illness. Venom flooded his mouth and his throat burned. He took in another gulp of air and lowered his mouth to her neck. He felt her weak pulse against his lips. The urge to bite grew and he gave in, opening his mouth and wrapping his lips around the soft flesh. Razor sharp teeth bit through the thin layer of skin and found the throbbing vein. Isabella's whimper was faint and went unnoticed by Edward who tasted the first drop of blood._

_Diseased though it was, Edward had never experienced such a succulent flavor. He growled and sucked vigorously. The thick warm liquid moved down his throat into his stone stomach setting aglow and warming Edward's body. His eyes rolled back into his head and aloud moan ripped through the room._

_Isabella was strangely roused by the sound. He sounded so animalistic. Yet she could not be afraid of him. His large strong hands gripped her too hard and she knew he would leave bruises. The pain ebbed away as she became more light headed. The loss of blood made her lose consciousness swiftly._

* * *

Isabella was in awe of the large Victorian mansion. The stone walls were painted a soft white and many windows lightened the stern appearance of the house.

She looked at Edward who was smiling at her in an encouraging way. She relaxed. Edward would know if they were in any danger.

The large friendly vampire named Emmett led them to the wrap around porch and up the steps to the front door. He smiled hugely and walked inside without knocking. Edward and Isabella followed more sedately.

"Look what I found!" Emmett said excitedly. He made a sweeping motion with his arms towards his guests.

Isabella's eyes took in the interior of the house. It was unexpectedly modern. More white painted walls and hard wood floors seemed to be the dominating features. There was very little furniture in the large room except for a big, comfortable looking cream couch and a sleek armoire. It was minimalistic but not cold or unwelcoming.

The inhabitants of the house stood a small distance away gathered around an open arched doorway which seemed to lead to a grand modern kitchen. Why vampires would need a kitchen at all was a mystery to her.

Closest to Isabella stood a white blond man with kind features and a soft smile. He wore slacks and a shirt in different shades of cream. Combined with the blond hair and pale skin, Isabella thought he resembled what she thought an angel might look like. The woman next to him, who was obviously his mate, had caramel colored curls which she wore up in an elegant style. Her pale lavender dress complemented her softly rounded figure. She too smiled.

Behind the lovely couple stood a very tall gentleman, his posture was stiff and formal, accentuated by his militairy style clothing. His hair was a more golden shade and fell in haphazard waves around his face. He had a handsome face which was covered with small crescent shaped scars. Isabella recognized them as bite marks. Something poked out from behind his elbow, startling her. It took a moment for her to realize that it was a head. A small face with elfin features was visible as was a tiny hand curled around the man's waist. The girl (child?) had a full head of short, black hair which stood up in every direction as if she had received an electric shock. She smiled hesitantly.

Lastly, leaning against the doorway with a look of pure disgust and contempt on her beautiful face was a tall, voluptuous woman who seemed like some sort of goddess. She used a slender hand with long, painted nails to flick some golden hair over her shoulder. Her vivid red dress (exactly the same shade as her lips and nails) was almost lewd but she pulled it off with surprising grace. It barely covered the essentials but she managed to look sensual yet not vulgar. Emmett went to stand next to her which did not surprise Isabella in the least.

The only thing they seemed to have in common (not including the two tall blondes who looked as if they might be brother and sister) were their unusual golden eyes. As far as she knew all vampires had red eyes, or black if they had not fed for some time.

The kind looking man took a step forward confirming that he was the leader of this strange coven.

"Welcome," He spoke with an accent that sounded faintly British. "My name is Carlisle and this is my family."

He introduced the woman next to him as his wife Esme. The others were Jasper and Alice (who was apparently not a child but Jasper's mate). The woman in the red dress was named Rosalie; she made a show of scrutinizing Isabella and appeared aggravated for some reason.

Edward, ever the proper gentleman, introduced Isabella and himself with manners befitting his eighteenth century upbringing.

With the pleasantries out of the way, the assortment of vampires made it's way to the large couch for a more informal conversation.

Isabella was slightly confused by Edward's easy acceptance of these people considering he usually avoided others like the plague. He smiled at her again to ease her worries and led her to an open seat.

"You are nomads, I presume?" Esme asked once everyone was seated.

"More or less," At the confused looks, Edward continued. "We like to stay in one place for a while before moving on. Usually we rent a house or cottage in a remote location. We still like to enjoy the human world now and then."

"You are still new to this life, then?" Carlisle asked politely.

Edward chuckled. "Isabella is, I am not." He wrapped his arm around her and smiled. "We've not been together for very long."

"How did you meet? " Emmett said.

"I was dying." Isabella spoke up for the first time.

Carlisle seemed fascinated. Esme just looked emotional. "You changed her?" Carlisle asked Edward who simply nodded but chose not to elaborate.

Alice, who really was shockingly tiny, spoke then. "Why can't I see you?" She looked directly at Isabella and seemed very upset.

Edward seemed to understand the question and looked at Alice with a soft smile. "She is a shield. Your powers do not work on her. Neither do Jasper's," They all looked at him with varying degrees of shock. "Nor mine." His smile widened.

Carlisle recovered first. "What is it you do, exactly?" He sounded faintly worried and looked uneasy for the first time.

"I hear the thoughts of those around me."

The silence that followed this statement was comical. Isabella giggled at the looks of outrage and fear Edward received. Edward too seemed amused by their reaction.

"I see." Carlisle murmured.

"It is the reason we keep to ourselves. The noise can be… disconcerting." Edward leaned back and looked at Emmett. "We stayed because I heard something in your mind that was… interesting."

Carlisle suddenly grinned. "Would this something have anything to do with our diet?"

"Yes."

"Diet?" Isabella turned to look at Edward and furrowed her brow.

He looked at her with a hopeful expression she had never before seen on his face. "They do not feed on humans." He paused to let this information sink in. "Instead, they hunt animals and pretend to be human so they can live in one place for extended periods of time."

Hunt animals and not humans? The thoughts seemed rather distasteful to Isabella. Wouldn't the fur and such get in the way? And where would one find these animals? They would probably not taste remotely as good as humans. Indeed Isabella found the idea repulsive.

However, she saw the longing in Edward's eyes and knew that he wanted to try this very badly. She had known that the killing of humans bothered Edward more than it did her; even if they did refrain from killing innocents and only preyed on murderers and the like.

She sighed. Edward meant the world to her and if this what he wanted then she would go for it, even if the thought of abstaining from human blood made her want to cry.

With another resigned sigh she looked at their host. "What kind of animals are we talking about?"


	11. Chapter 10

**I don't own Twilight...**

**A/N: For those of you who read LSS, I am working on a sequel that will be posted in a few weeks.**

**TWBB is coming to an end, there will be one more chapter after this one.**

* * *

Chapter 10. New again.

.

Like true gracious hosts Carlisle and Esme offered them a room in their home. The entire first floor included just the large sitting room and the impressive kitchen. The second floor held the bedrooms and Carlisle's study. Esme's study and an extensive library were located on the third floor. Most of the house was decorated in creams and whites.

After the issues with Isabella's shielding ability were cleared up Alice was more than willing to give their guests a tour of the house and show them their new room. She had even made a few not so subtle queries to their wardrobe, much to Edward's amusement.

Indeed most of the Cullen family seemed delighted to have Edward and Isabella living with them and adjusting their diet. The only exceptions to this were Jasper and Rosalie.

Edward sighed and rubbed his temples. What an eventful night this had proven to be. Lying on their new bed next to Isabella who was enjoying one of Carlisle's many books; Edward contemplated the strange people they had met today.

Indeed Rosalie seemed like the most obvious place to start since she bothered him the most. Miss Hale was undeniably beautiful and she knew it. Even as a human she had been adored by everyone who knew her because of her looks. This had resulted in a spoiled young lady who felt entitled to anything and everything she wished for. It seemed to Edward that the loss of her humanity had only added to this. Truly, she nauseated him a bit. Her thoughts were shallow and self-centered. Though she loved her mate, she valued herself above all else. As if this wasn't enough for him to dislike her, her physical appearance annoyed him deeply. Her overtly sexual way of dressing offended his sensibilities. To make matters worse, her thoughts towards his Isabella had been rude and at the very least unladylike. She thought his mate was somehow a threat because she was beautiful as well, though in a completely different way. Rosalie was convinced Isabella had been a plain human and vampirism had made her beautiful. Edward bit back a growl of disgust. How dare she!

Emmett was much easier to like. His thoughts were very loud and held not an ounce of shame. Edward had the feeling that Emmett never thought anything he wouldn't say out loud. His family was the most important thing to Emmett, he loved them fiercely.

Esme as well held an amazing ability to love. Her maternal thoughts were overwhelming and very un-vampire-like. Carlisle too was uncommonly kind for a vampire.

Jasper was a rather strange creature. His ability to sense emotions was a gift and a curse. He couldn't escape the torrent of sensations and it affected him strongly.

The one Edward liked most was Alice. Her thoughts were amusing and fascinating. She had been having vague visions of him for a while now and apparently the Cullen's were not surprised to see them. Alice was a bit suspicious of Bella because she couldn't see her and it made her uncomfortable, much the same it did Jasper.

Edward was excited to be here and to start living like the Cullens did. But he knew it would be more difficult for Isabella to adjust. He had been exercising control for more than two hundred years while she was barely out of the newborn stage. She would need his help and he would give it to her. It was no secret to him that Isabella would never consider living like this if it hadn't been for him. She would just live like most traditional nomads did. He hoped she would manage and that it wouldn't be too much for her.

.

The first hunting trip was scheduled for Saturday, just two days after they arrived. Isabella had started to become restless and Edward knew it would only get worse before it could get better. She tried to be strong and hide her thirst but Edward knew her too well and saw the signs easily.

Carlisle and Emmett would join them. It was decided that too many onlookers would be bad. Vampires were very possessive and rather feral during the hunt. Edward saw that his mate was less than thrilled but her thirst could not be ignored.

Just after nightfall, the four vampires set out into the forest directly behind the house. It was a short run to the nearest hunting grounds.

Edward, whose senses were more trained than Isabella's, quickly found what they were looking for. A heavy wet thumping caught his attention. The smell was not terribly appetizing but it would do. He saw Isabella's head snap to the left and knew she had found something too. Hesitantly, she looked at Carlisle for directions.

"Don't think about it. Just let your instincts guide you; you'll know what to do."

Edward watched as she shot of in de direction of what smelled like a bear. Ignoring his own thirst for now he followed her at a safe distance. He found in a tree, looking down on a large black bear. She crouched and launched herself at the large animal. Attached to its back she quickly bit and drained her prey. It was quick and efficient. Not a drop of blood spilled.

With a growl, she dropped the large carcass to the ground and turned towards her audience.

.

_Edward waited for three long days as she screamed and writhed on the bed. He was grateful for the privacy their little house provided because he knew she could be heard from afar. He did what he could to make her as comfortable as possible but she was in great pain._

_He tried to distract himself by thinking of what she would be like. He could already see that she would be beautiful by the way her skin cleared up and her lips had gotten darker. She would be exquisite. He thought of all the places he could take her; London and Paris of course, but he thought she would enjoy Vienna as well with its history and architecture. Brazil and Australia were on the list too. Yes, as soon as she could tolerate being around humans, he would show her the world. There were very few places he hadn't been but Edward was sure it would be different with her at his side._

_He was about to mentally list all the tourist attractions in Italy when Isabella abruptly fell silent. He looked at her and froze. He was staring straight into a pair startlingly red eyes._


	12. Chapter 11

**I don't own Twilight...**

**A/N: This is the last chapter. There will be no epilogue or sequel for this story. Thank you for reading.**

* * *

Chapter 11. Worth the pain.

_Nothing could have prepared her for the feelings running through her. It was like her whole perspective on the world had been altered. She felt, saw and heard so much more. From the way sunlight was reflected through the glass to the smell of dust and brick that permeated the house. She could hear birds singing and cars zooming by in the distance along with the steady whooshing sound of air being filtered by lungs._

_Edward. It seemed like out of all things, Edward had changed the most. No, that wasn't right; Edward hadn't changed, she just saw him differently. His hair seemed brighter, his skin paler and oh so smooth. The red in his eyes was a more vibrant shade than she had ever seen. His scent, which had always been pleasing to her, now smelled even sweeter and when he spoke her name, his voice sounded like honey and caramel if there was such a sound._

_The red, red eyes looked at her with equal amounts of worry and excitement. The need to be closer to him was met the instant she thought about moving. Her body was faster now and seemed more responsive to her brain. She felt like there was nothing she couldn't do._

_Edward let out a very undignified squeak when Isabella's arms wound around him and squeezed him tightly. Obviously she had no clue hew strong she was. He hid a wince and attempted to gently extricate himself from her._

_"How are you feeling?" He asked when he had her at arm's length._

_She briefly thought over his question. "Good." She decided. "I feel good." She said, just to hear her voice again. That too had changed. She ran her hands down her new body, finding curves that hadn't been there before. Edward followed the movement of her hands, seemingly mesmerized._

_Encouraged by the look in his eyes, she relocated her exploration to him. She had never realized just how beautiful he was. He no longer felt unyielding and cold, now, he was pleasantly supple and his temperature was just right. Undeterred by his odd look, she tore off his shirt for more thorough inspection. His chest was nicely toned but bulky or overly muscular. She found that his abs were particularly sensitive. Wanting to see more of him but realizing that taking his pants off was not a good idea, she stood back and looked up at him._

_"Done?" His lips were twitching with the effort not to smile._

_"Yes." The burn in the back of her throat demanded attention. She was ready to start her new life. "I think I need to hunt."_

.

.

Her thirst was barely sated. The blood had been warm and wet but the taste left a lot to be desired. Her throat burned for human blood even now. Looking down and away from her companions, she felt shame. Carlisle studied her like she was a particularly interesting experiment; Emmett just looked curious and strangely eager. Edward cautiously approached her. She had not yet risen from her crouch. Isabella twitched but did not look at his face.

Would it always be this difficult? Would she always want human blood? Even after draining a large animal? She knew the answer to that question and she did not like it one bit.

"Isabella." Edward whispered and reached out to her. "Come." He coaxed gently. She mindlessly did as he told.

Was it worth it? Could she really do this? The burn flared up again, not at all diminished or abated, despite her full stomach.

She gritted her teeth in frustration and looked up at Edward. He must have seen the huger in her eyes because his face creased with concern and anxiety. The pain in his eyes made her blink. Her own discomfort faded and she focused on him entirely. To her surprise, Isabella found it easier to ignore the thirst as long as she was suitably distracted.

The next day, Alice and Jasper accompanied them for another hunting trip. Isabella had to push down the slight resentment. She didn't mind that Edward had to go with her but now she actually had two babysitters. Again, she returned unsatisfied but like last time, she concentrated on Edward to get through the crippling burning in her throat. According to Carlisle; unlike human blood which quieted the burn for several days, animal blood never completely did that. She was told that she would get used to it. And even if she never did, the look on Edward's face when she first managed to talk to human without attacking him made it all worth it.


End file.
